Dreams Of a Baker and a Swordsman
by PeetoLove
Summary: A huge collection or will be of Peeta/Cato one-shots and little randomness. So... Yep... Different settings Seriously varies from like, midevil times to maybe even outer space /Don't Ask/ And lots of BoyXBoy /Derr/ and maybe a few curses in some.
1. Masquerade

_**MASQUERADE- Peeta's Point of View- **_

It started at the party in your mansion. The beautiful dark lighting suited the house perfectly. Our gazes met from across the room. You offered a gentle smile and I let my cheeks glow a bright pink. You were handsome and strong, and seemed to be quite the charmer with the way the girls hung over you. The son of the greatest creator in all of Panem. Me, a simple baker from the poor part of town, had absolutely no chance with someone of your standards. I admired you from afar that night, and I even caught you taking a few glances back. I was so shy, and I knew I didn't fit in at all, with my worn hand-me-downs compared to the elegant gowns and suits and my poor, scared smile compared to the smirks of the party-goers.

Your father, a saint, had invited his good friend who just so happened to be my father, to this party. He had dressed me and my brothers in our finest clothes, even though it wasn't anything fine at all. It all reeked of bread. Nothing strange considering my background. Your father hadn't liked me at all, because of my differences. I was shy and I didn't like the one thing all boys in Panem shared in common. Girls. It was an oddity to everyone. That's why I figured you were staring. You thought I was insane. But then came the warm smile that changed my mind.

I found myself in the middle of the mess of masked people, all beautiful and mannerly, dancing with the opposite sex as expected. Katniss Everdeen was the only one who understood me, though the one friend I had wasn't here tonight to save me and dance with me and make me look average. Then over the enormous crowd, I notice you approaching me, no girls left at your side admiring you. You had turned them all down. I see the corners of your lips move upwards underneath the half-mask you wear. It is black, matching everything else on your body accordingly. A mysterious color for a mysterious person.

"Hello Peeta." You say elegantly, and I am shocked you even know my name.

"C-Cato." I say returning the hello, though my stuttering shows nothing near your beautiful soft tone.

"Follow me." You demand, though it is gentle enough to seem like you asked.

I, confused and bewildered by your acts of kindness, just nod. I take the hand you hold out towards me, and step slowly as you drag me out of the glorious house and take me to the beautiful garden. You yank me underneath the small dome, and pull me in so our chests touch.

"W-What are you doing?" I ask softly behind a blush.

"You don't want to dance with me?" You respond, faking a puzzled look.

I bite my lip staring up at your tall figure, confused at why you would be doing this. I was under the impression you were attempting to embarrass me or hurt my feelings. But still, that smile reassured me as we swayed back and forth to the faint music echoing from the house that was just as gorgeous outside as on the inside.

"I have a secret too, you know?" You whisper to me, the soft smile turning to a devilish one.

I try to act like I'm not hopelessly in love with you, and speak in the same soft tone you use. "And what is your secret?"

Your smirk widens as you lean your lips to my ear. I can't help but turn bright red at the feel of your breath hitting my neck.

"I've been in love with you for a while, Peeta Mellark. And by the looks you were giving me in there, I think you feel the same." You whisper, the words causing my mouth to drop and me to shiver.

"Y-You think I love you? Cato I do no-" I begin but the force of your arms pushing me against a pillar stops me. Your lips hover over mine so they are just about to touch.

"Don't play pretend. I know you want me. I know you do." You say, and your heavy breath is obviously an act of seduction because I didn't put up a struggle and you've been whispering all night. Sadly it works and I give into you.

"F-Fine. I do want you. But it will never work because this kind of love is a sin." I say harshly.

"A sin? Then I have sinned quite plenty, and I don't think one more would change much." You say behind a smirk, and your eyes sparkling in the moonlight tempts me to give into the curse that is my love for you.

You remove your mask revealing your pale, satin skin. You bridge the gap between our lips, and I could swear fireworks went off when we kissed. It was flawless, just like you.

I bite my lip and keep my eyes sealed shut as you pull away, afraid that when I open them you will be gone and I'd find it was all a dream. When I finally do open them you are still there, smiling at me. Your handsome features changed from mysterious and devilish to loving and gentle. I was sure I looked like a love-sick fool, completely befuddled by the situation unfolding.

"My little admirer, I promise this won't be the last kiss. But I have to get back to my father and those pathetic girls." You say and prepare to turn away, but I grab you by the collar of your shirt.

"N-No, I need to see you again. We have to meet somewhere, because if we leave this to chance I think it will eat me away." I say, grasping your shirt as if it was my last chance of living.

You let out a gentle laugh as you slide your mask back on. "Meet me right here at midnight." You say and walk off, back into the glorious home of yours.

I do not leave my spot, and spend the time until midnight reminiscing the kiss. The gentleness, and the perfection. Everything about you is amazing. When ever I'm around you it's like I'm intoxicated.

I see you slip out of the house again, and without a word you take my hand and drag me out into the woods. "Cato where are we going?" I whisper, and the only response I get is a finger to your lips, telling me to be silent.

The place you are taking me is a tranquil, serene creek. You smile at me as I describe how thankful I am for you taking me here, and before I can finish you pull me to the ground. I land safely atop you, and you just smile at me. I have to return the notion, because you are so beautiful in the illuminating moonlight.

"Did you miss me?" You ask sweetly, gently pushing up so I am sitting backwards in your lap, my legs wrapped around your torso.

"I counted the seconds to your return." I whisper back to you, resting my forehead on yours.

You only stare at me for the longest time, and I can do nothing but that for you. The sound of crickets and frogs fills our ears, and your quick heartbeat against my own creates perfect harmony.

"Cato... I'm definitely falling in love with you." I say to you, and you can do nothing but grin wider from the looks of it.

"And so am I." Are the final words spoken that night before I consume you in a storm of kisses, wrapping my arms loosely around your neck.


	2. Broken

_**BROKEN- Cato's Point of View**_

__I awoke in a white room, the scent of blood the only thing I could really tell. I stumble furiously from the bed, looking for anything sharp in sight. "Katniss Everdeen." I growl to myself. I hated her for what she'd done to you.

I find a measly syringe. Cato Jensen, going against the Girl on Fire with a syringe. How pathetic. Never mind the ridiculous excuse for a weapon, I was ready to kill her. One last kill.

The games were over, yes. But the vengeance I seek, was not. Katniss Everdeen had shot an arrow straight through your heart. The one thing you ever used sanely, she shot an arrow through.

I pound on the metal door, wising it would open. After several failed attempts, I grip my chipped fingernails into the door and yank it open as hard as I can. Thanks to my brute force, it works.

I run through the halls, despite how horribly my legs hurt. I always hated Katniss for the place she held in your heart, but the fact she used you and then killed you so mercilessly? It was absurd. She had toyed with your fragile little heart, then after she broke it she swept the pieces away instead of letting me fix it. She didn't want to deal with the guilt, I suspect. So she killed you. She restrained me from ever holding the one person I loved again. From ever kissing you in the rain or cradling you into my warmth to save you from the cold. In a way, she killed us both.

I grip the syringe tighter when I remember your scared expression as I watched you dangle from the cornucopia by my hand. I remember screaming your name. "Peeta! Peeta!" I screamed. But it was too late. Too late to save my love. Because by then, Katniss had shot an arrow at my arm, causing me to go hurdling down with you. I suppose they kept me alive so I could wallow in the pain and hurt. So I had to live with the memory of not being able to save you. But still I only blame the Girl on Fire. But I cannot get to her now. I'll wait.

I drop the syringe in the hallway and head to the second floor where my room used to be. I put on the clothes that lay on the bed, which I guess are my interview clothes. I should at least leave the girl to wallow in the humiliation in front of all of Panem.

As we are sent to the stage with Caesar Flickerman, I find they've set up the most ridiculous hoax ever. That me and this low life girl, were in love the whole time. That after I passed out from the fall she saved my life. And then after a while, I realize she actually does love me.

How dare she. Lie to the whole of Panem, then out of guilt kill the accomplice, you. This girl has no clue what love is. If she really loved either of us, she'd let you live. You should always want happiness for the one person you love. I suppose that's why I kept this girl alive so long. Because you cared for her.

I answer nothing they ask me. I sit there and mope the whole time. I send a few glares at Katniss, and that is most of the interaction I choose to do. Then they ask me about you. Ask me what I was thinking as I held you over the edge of the cornucopia. As I screamed your name. This draws tears out of my eyes. The thought, and the fact they are asking me what I was thinking. What wouldn't I be thinking! You were the one thing that's ever meant anything to me, and the Capitol and the Girl on Fire tossed it away like it was nothing.

The train ride to twelve, the new place I am forced to live because of her, is horrible. After an hour I feel like I want to throw up as she cuddles against me and talks of how she saved me in front of her escort and mentor. As they leave the cart that night, I ask to go to her room. She smiles brightly at me and acts as though she never even laid a finger on you.

As we enter before she can even bellow another word I have pinned her against the wall by her throat.

"C-Cato! What are you doing!" She chokes out. I just smirk at her.

"Killing you, Fire Girl." I say plainly, pressing harder.

"B-But I saved you!" She chokes again.

"Saved me? I'd rather be dead! You honestly think I could ever care for you? For the person who killed my one true love? Screw your head on straight, sweetheart, that'll never happen." I hiss at her, and you could practically see the exact moment her heart broke in half.

"Cato please! I did it so I could start something with you! You don't understand!" She argues.

"No, I do. You tore his heart into a million pieces to get out of some lie, then expected me to be okay with it. You could tell. I know you could tell how I felt, and you, jealous little Fire Girl, went off and ripped that broken heart up even more. I'll never forgive you. He wouldn't either, if you had done so to me. I loved Peeta Mellark. I loved him with everything I had to offer, which wasn't much, and he graciously accepted me into his heart like the angel he was. And now you expect me, being heart-broken and scared and alone in this world, to love you? You're sick, Katniss Everdeen. Sick." I say coldly, leaving her absolutely speechless. It was all true though. If only you were here to restrain me. To hold me and whisper in my ear that it was alright. To kiss me gently and reassure me that I wasn't a monster. That I wasn't heartless. You could do indescribable things to me, and I didn't understand how you made a man of my nature so weak and vulnerable. I was like your own little marionette puppet, that you could do anything with and I'd have to listen. But you wouldn't dare hurt me.

"C-Cato... Please. I regret doing that! You know I do!" She yells. "Cato, I know I shouldn't but I feel something for you. I know I shouldn't have killed him, but at the time I felt like it was the only way to get to you!"

I spit in her face. "Then you were a fool. One of the biggest fools I've ever known. You still are one." I say, and press her against the wall even harder, watching her face turn purple and her gasp for air, to no avail.

Then I remember the promise I'd made to you. I swore I'd never let my dark side out again. I'd never hurt anyone again. Not even if it was to get revenge. I slowly let her go.

"Don't you ever speak to me again, Katniss. I don't even want to look at you. You disgust me. I hate everything there is about you. I hate your fierceness. I hate your bravery. It's all a fraud to cover up the lie that is the heroic Girl on Fire. You're a disgrace." Are the last words I say to your former love before shoving her to the ground and walking boldly away.

I hear multiple sobs escape her lips from my room that night, and I need to hold back my laughs of success. She's hurting just as much as I am. I've successfully broken her without actually inflicting physical pain on her body. And as I cry my eyes out, I know that I've done something horrible, something you wouldn't approve of. But she deserved it. I know she did, didn't she? I mean, she killed you. She killed you without thought...

I find myself ready to tap on her door when your drunken mentor stops me. "Cato, you know not to do anything intimate on the train!" He says, laughing at his own joke.

"I hate her. I'm going to tell her to stop crying." I say plainly.

"You? The star-crossed lover?" He says, and this time it seems like it isn't a joke. "Cato, come have a drink with me. We need to talk."

I follow him to the bar cart, and pretend to sip away the bitter liquid he pours into my glass. "Why are you having me talk to you?" I ask coldly.

"Because. Katniss may have killed him, but that's no reason to treat her this way." He says almost soberly.

"There's plenty reason! I was in love with him! She's lucky I haven't ripped her head off!" I yell at him, hoping I didn't just wake Effie up.

"Well, believe what you want to believe, but I don't think treating someone that way is fair."

He doesn't understand. No one understands. I'm expected to love the person who killed you, my dear. I'm supposed to be cradling her in my arms right now, talking about how happy I am we sacrificed you. But I'm not happy. I'll never be happy again without you. I need you, Peeta Mellark, and I can't have you.


	3. Pain

**OKAY GUYS! Before I do this, I need your help! I am going mind blank, and need ideas. Give me some for a One-Shot if you want, please! I'd give you credit and everything I just need help. THANK YOU GUYS FOR READING! **

** Okay, so in this chapter, it's kind of like a Finnick and Annie thing but with Peeta and Cato. Cato is forced to sell his body to the Capitol and if he doesn't they threaten to hurt Peeta. **

_**PAIN- Cato's Point of View**_

I sigh, falling back on the soft couch. Most everything here seemed perfect in the Capitol. But it wasn't at all. Not without him here. I still remember everything about him. I run my finger over my lips and immediately remember his kisses. Their soft, genuine nature. The way he smiled into them. The salty taste of his tears when he found out I had to go away.

I brush my finger over my hand, immediately feeling his palm against it. Feeling the gentile kiss he left on it one night. Feeling the fabric of his shirt, drenched from the rain.

I run my hand through my hair, and that even reminds me of him. The way he yanked on it to tease me and how he ruffled it around to make me laugh. Even when he just played with it, wearing that beautiful grin of his that could light up an entire district.

I found myself sobbing as I curled up in a ball on the couch. Only he's ever seen me this way, and it wasn't even this bad. I don't think I'd ever cry like this around anyone. I probably lay here for an hour every night, contemplating suicide. If it weren't for him. I need to stay strong for him. I can't let them get me down, no matter how many girls throw themselves at me and no matter how much they hit me and abuse me for my actions. I'm their slave now. I can't disobey them, either. Because it won't ne me they hurt, it will be him.

I can't let them hurt him. He's to fragile and vulnerable. He'd break. And if he hurts, so do I. I need my baker from District Twelve. I need to protect him. Make sure no one puts the light in his eyes out. No one breaks his heart. Mine's already broken enough. I'm sure there's someone back in Twelve cradling him in their arms now, while I sit alone in this apartment, awaiting the Capitol to choose the next person who will use me as their toy, then throw me out.

I decide to write yet another letter to you. There are so many piled up at the desk in the corner. But the Capitol won't let me send them. They don't want me to have any contact with you at all. So I grab my pen and sloppily write down what I want to say to you on paper, even though tears are already drenching the page.

_ Dear Peeta,_

_ I miss you. They're having me do the sickest things here. I need to see you again. It's not fair that we did it all together, made it out of the arena, and now they're keeping us apart because of our actions. You know I'd come back in a heartbeat. But if I even talk about you they'll rip your heart out. They're using you against me because they know I can't stand the thought of your pain anymore. You were hurt once, by my hands, and I promised myself I'd never let anyone hurt you again. All of these people... They don't understand. They'll never truly get why you and me so desperately needed me to get out together. Peeta Mellark, some day I will get out of this place, and I swear you and me can be together. And when that day comes, I promise I'll never leave your side again. After all, I'm yours, and you're mine. Nothing less and nothing more, right Loverboy? I love you. Never forget that. _

_ Love, _

_ Cato_

It almost hurt writing it, because I knew it'd never be mailed. I bang my fist on the table, screaming on the inside and out, until something kicks at my door.

"Shut up in there, will you!" A cold voice yells. I just resume sobbing on the desk, letting out a few shrill shrieks, only to be answered by the frigid voices of the Capitols citizens.

I send it out, expecting to get the letter back the next week and another one attached telling me not to do this anymore, with a signature from President Snow himself.

But surprisingly I don't. In fact, I get one from him.

I almost want to scream out in joy when I get it. I quickly tear the envelope away, revealing your neat cursive handwriting.

_ Dear Cato,_

_ Come back. Please make it soon. The pain of you not being next to me to hold me after my nightmares or to stop making me fear the woods is far worse than a cut in the leg. I need to feel your arms wrapped around me again. Your warm breaths hitting my nose. Everything makes me think of you and it all hurts me like a million daggers thrust into my chest. I've locked myself away at home, and I won't talk to anybody anymore. Now I know this probably won't work but if you can, try calling me... I need to hear your voice again. And... I love you too. A lot Cato. _

_ Love,_

_ Peeta._

Thankfully, the Capitol supplied me with a phone. I quickly run over to it, dialing the number onto the buttons as fast as my fingers can go. It doesn't even have time to ring once before there is an answer.

"Peeta?" I almost yell into the speaker.

"Cato! Cato it's me!" he yells back.

"Peeta!" I yell.

It's silent for a few seconds before he speaks up again.

"I've been sitting by my phone for two weeks waiting for your call." He says behind a little bit of laughter.

I smile at this. "Peeta... I love you a lot. I can't take this anymore. I cry myself to sleep every night thinking about you."

"I love you too... I wish I could see you again."

"I know. Someday I'll get out, I promise." I whisper to him.

Peeta goes silent. Then I hear another voice on the other end of the line. Not Peeta's, but the cold voice of President Snow himself.

"Cato, we've told you not to have any contact with this boy. We've already executed the person who let that letter slip through our system." He hisses.

"No, wait Snow! Don't hurt him! Hurt me! Punish me instead! I was the one who called, I was the one who sent the letter! Please, don't touch him." I say, my voice muffled behind tears.

It is silent for a minute as if he's considering to say yes or no. "Alright Cato. But I'm sure you'll regret this later." Snow says, ending the phone call.

Not even an hour later they have me in a white room, a television in front of me. I am chained up, and peacekeepers surround me. What could they possibly be doing?

The television snaps on, and I see his face. The image makes me want to cry. And then I see it. I see something fly, and a splotch of blood hits the camera lens. His blood.

"Peeta!" I shriek, pulling at the metal restraints on my arms. "Peeta! What are you doing to Peeta!"

After a few more hits are thrown, I try closing my eyes and screaming to keep the image and the sound out. A few shocks from what is something like a dog collar make me open them again.

They make me watch this for a solid forty-five minutes. And I sob. I scream. I curse and kick and yank and get electrocuted. They are hurting you. And when they hurt you, they hurt me. And now, this hurt is beyond repair.


	4. Assasins

**Thanks to SakuraDrops141! I actually like this idea, but it kind of reminds me of Clint and Natasha in Avengers... I like that though.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**ASSASINS- Cato's Point of View**

I tread the hall before they finally let me in to your room. Some sort of mine went off and blew up right on your left leg. They say it's pretty mangled and bad, but it'll be fixed up as best as possible.

"Peeta?" I whisper, shaking your hand. Your eyes flutter open. It's funny how someone as vulnerable and gentle as you could have such a rank, as one of the most esteemed assassins in the business.

"C-Cato... What happened?" You ask, still in a daze.

"When we were on our last mission a mine went off. Hit you straight in the leg. Snow got away..." I say shamefully.

We were spies. Nothing more than soldiers for District Thirteen. Katniss Everdeen and Gale Hawthorne were among our ranks, but you and I were simply the best. Of course, you did the tracking, me the killing. You could never take it. But taken how much I admired you, I always lied and said you and I did some elaborate attack.

Your genius made up for your fears though. I don't know how you became so smart, given your mother was abusive and lazy and your father was an idiot who only knew how to bake. But somehow, you became the smartest person I've ever seen walk the streets (or more like corridors) of District Thirteen.

"Dammit." You growl to yourself. I don't believe I've ever heard you curse.

"Well look, little goody-two-shoes can curse." I joke, causing a soft laugh to escape your lips.

"Be quiet." You say behind that radiant smile. "Hey Cato, you aren't gonna leave, are you?" You ask me, your voice dropping to a serious tone and your eyes yearning to keep me immobilized in this seat until your fixed.

"Course I'll stay. You're my partner, and my only friend. Like you said, we stick together through thick and thin-"

"No matter the circumstances we're in, I know. I just... I don't want to be lonely and you... You can comfort me easier than any other person in thirteen..." You say softly, a yawn bursting out of you.

"Someones tired." I mutter, glance up at you from the apple I've began shining.

"You won't leave while I sleep, will you? I don't want to be alone." You say cautiously, though it's obvious you're tired.

"Peeta, how did you even become a spy? I mean, you are one of the biggest cowards I've ever met." I joke, causing your lips to turn up in a sleepy smile.

"Smarts. Now shh, I wanna sleep." you demand, still smiling softly at me. Your drowsiness gets the best of you though as you gently drift off into your own dream-land.

I grab your hand in mine when I know you're perfectly asleep. "Peeta... Please be alright..." I mutter softly, making sure not to wake you.

Katniss comes in, her jacket draped over her shoulder and sweat glistening around her eye brows.

"I came here as soon as I could... I guess they gave you off because he's your best friend?" She asks, carefully pulling up a chair against the other side of your bed. I nod, quickly dropping your hand before she questions me.

She takes a swift glance at me after a few minutes of just awkwardly sitting there. "You aren't gonna leave his side, are you?" She asks with a gentle smile pulling at her lips.

"Why would I? He's always been there when I was hurt." I say, not letting my eyesight leave your sleeping face.

"That seems to happen rarely." She says behind a soft laugh. "It's just sort of odd. You two... You're almost inseparable... You do everything together... Missions, eating meals, you even live together."

"Well I lived alone before that, and so did he. Plus he's... He's the only one who gets what I feel. My mom raped and abused me when I was a kid... My dad never did anything about it... If only he were in District Two then. Then maybe I wouldn't be so... It wouldn't be so hard for me to trust people. He's the only person I've ever truly trusted. But you could expect that from a man who's been surrounded by a rapist, a jerk and war since he was two years old." I say in a soft tone, turning my gaze up at her.

She just gives me this horribly sad look. Then, she tells me something that may just change my life forever.

"He loves you, you know. A lot." She whispers back, shooting a look of seriousness in my direction.

"I know. But what best friend wouldn't love the other?" I say, smiling at his gentle sleep as my attention turns back to him. I only leave enough of it to hear what she's saying.

"No Cato, Peeta is in love with you. He keeps me up some nights on the phone telling me how nervous he is to ask you how you feel. He doesn't want to make you uncomfortable and lose you as a friend. But he is completely, insanely in love with you." She tells me.

I find it hard believing at first, given the fact we're partners and I've known you so long without noticing. I sit there tripping over words like an idiot, blushing a deep red without noticing.

"H-How long as he... has he felt that w-way?" I ask softly.

"Since he met you I guess. He just... didn't want to scare you away." she whispers back, her tone becoming almost sympathetic as she pats down a piece of your loose hair.

Shock. That's what I felt at first. Complete, utter, shock. But then something hits me. I loved you back. That explains why I felt so strange when ever you asked me to hold you for warmth after you had nightmares of your mother. That explains why I felt so nervous around you at first. That explained why I felt so possessive when another girl talked to you. It explained everything.

Katniss leaves after a while of confused, shocked silence from me. And eventually, you wake up.

You yawn and stretch your arms. "Hey... You sneak outta here while I was sleeping?" you ask in a teasingly sleepy tone, a smile flaring at the corners of your lips.

Me, having no experience in love considering I've never felt it before, just comes out and says it.

"Peeta? Do you... feel something for me? Like... Like love?" I ask, the word feeling and tasting foreign in my mouth.

You blush and deny me at first. "L-Love you? No... No I don't.. I don't feel anything different than f-friendship for you..." you stutter out, avoiding eye contact.

I decide to say the first thing that comes to mind, and it definitely sounded a lot better there. "I-I was just asking because I think maybe I feel that for maybe you I just am not sure what's even going on..." I ramble.

You just blush deeper, an adorable smile playing on your face. "You really think you might feel something for me?"

Here goes nothing. "I... You know what, no Peeta, I'm absolutely sure I'm in love with you. I just never understood the whole concept of it. I love you, I guess." I say, the slip on the end out of habit of saying it to my mother. She'd hit me till I told her I loved her. Now I actually feel it.

You just laugh gently, smiling happily. "I love you too, Cato. So much." you whisper back. I haven't realized it but I'm practically hovering over you. I decide to lean in closer, which may be the smartest move I've made all afternoon.

Slowly I lift your back off the bed, our lips touching. Never did I think I'd have my first kiss with my best friend at the age of 20, but I suppose you've never done this before either. I bring my leg up over you on the bed, straddling you there. I'm forced to pull away when you bite your lip to hold back a scream and you begin to writhe underneath me.

"O-Ouch." You pant, motioning to your leg.

"O-Oh I'm so sorry! I-I didn't meant to hurt you!" I yell, though I do not leave the position I hold over you.

You let out a pained laugh. "And I'm the softie." You say sarcastically, smirking up at me.

"Shut up." I tease, lightly hitting your arm as I roll over.

You laugh softly, pulling yourself into my arms. "I love you." You whisper, nuzzling your head into my warmth.

"I love you too. I'm never gonna let anyone or anything hurt you, ever again. You're mine, and nothing can ever hurt you." I whisper before silence pulls over us, and lay a kiss on your forehead before you doze off again, letting my arms guard you of any bad dream.


	5. Fool Like Me

_**FOOL LIKE ME – Cato's P.O.V**_

__"Hello? Peeta?" I ask into the phone.

"No, Cato, it's his mother _again_. Leave our boy alone!" She responds, and then I hear it go silent. She hung up on me for the third time tonight.

Now, I loved Peeta unconditionally, but his parents were becoming ridiculous. So what if I wasn't exactly the most... coordinated... or smart... or logical...

I was officially the town's own personal fool in love. I didn't know what to do or say right, ever. But some how, some way, Peeta Mellark, the most amazing, genuine, smart, handsome, creative boy ever to exist, fell in love with _me_. Did I get why? No. Was I glad? Beyond that.

Well anyways, his parents were being more cold than usual towards me because I accidentally drove Peeta's brand new car into a tree. It wasn't my fault I'd never seen that tree there!

It was actually a pretty funny day. Me and Peeta secretly went to the park where I surprised him for his birthday. When we went back to his house in my car, we didn't think his parents were home, so we started... you know... making out... and then his mother came out, screaming and flailing her arms in the air. She hadn't been cool with me since I ran over his dog with my bike and uh... haha, paralyzed his back leg...

We stopped kissing each other so Peeta's dad could give him his big seventeenth birthday present. And it just had to be a new car that Peeta let me test drive around the neighborhood.

We were just driving along, until Peeta cracked some joke and I couldn't stop laughing, and then BOOM! I hit... or as I explained to his parents, "grazed," a giant oak tree. And Peeta hasn't been allowed to see me since.

Well that changes tonight.

Yep, I'm marching right up to that door and demanding to see the boy I love! I'll yell it in their faces if I have to!

I pound on the door, and his mother answers. Darnit', it had to be her. Not to mention I'm scared senseless of his mother.

"Mrs. Mellark, I demand to see my Peeta!" I yell, and she shoots me a death glare.

"I mean... Unless you don't want me to or..." I'd continue my ridiculous cower but the door was slammed straight in my face.

Great, now I have a stupid bloody nose.

I begin walking off, before I hear yelling from the distance.

"Cato! Cato wait up!" A small, innocent voice yells. My Peeta!

I run up to the side of his house and catch him as he jumps from the roof.

"Hey angel." I say and spin him around in my arms.

He gives me this adorable laugh, and when I say adorable, I mean _adorable. _Then he sees the steady flowing crimson stream coming from my nose.

"Oh my gosh, Cato what happened!" He exclaims, wiping some of the blood away.

"Your mom slammed the door in my face." I say behind a blush I hope isn't visible through the moonlight.

Peeta holds back a laugh as he lets the blood soak into his hoodie sleeve. "She can be so horrible to you. Just don't worry. I still love you, no matter what she says." He smiles at me, and I can't help but grin back.

I pause as if in deep thought. "Peeta?" I ask for his attention.

"Yeah?" he asks sweetly.

"W-Why... How could you fall in love with a fool like me?" I ask sheepishly.

The reaction I get isn't really expected.

Nope, he punches me square in the face. And dear lord did it hurt.

I fell to the ground from the impact, but he helped me up.

"What the hell?" I yell at him, holding my jaw. It stings really bad.

"I'm sorry, I just... You're not a fool. I love you because you are a sweet, compassionate person, no matter how clumsy you are." He says, rubbing my jaw himself.

"Well you could've just said that... Didn't have to punch me in the mouth..." I mumble to myself.

"Heh, sorry." He responds, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

I smile at him, before offering my hand to him.

He takes it after rolling up his bloody sleeve. "Let's go back to your house and patch you up." He smiles.

"Alright. I still love you." I joke, causing him to laugh his beautiful little laugh as we walk the streets hand in hand, like we always will.

**Hello! So uh... Sorry about how short and horrible this one is. I just... the song Fool Like Me by Cobra Starship is so great, so I really wanted to write a Peeto on it.**

** In other matters, I have no clue what to write for Run Away. You Belong With Me is brewing in my occupied little mind, and I think I'm going to to torture you and keep Brutus and Cato together for a while and make my poor baby Peeta lose his mind. MWAHAHAHAHAHA. Don't hate me to much though...**

** So... Run Away... Just a little clue, they end up in District Nine where they meet my OC Rhodes. I made Rhodes a character in my own Hunger Games story (Which is a work in progress now) but I think I'm gonna do some weird stuff with him in there. Yep so uh... any ideas for Run Away, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I'M GOING MIND BLANK...**


	6. What You Didn't Know

_**WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW - Katniss' P.O.V**_

"Kattnisss?" Peeta stumbled around the kitchen, giggling and slurring his words as I come down the stairs.  
"Peeta, have you been drinking again?" I ask him, receiving a giggle.

"Mayybe." he giggles trying to act nonchalant.

"Oh god... Why do you do this? I mean, it really doesn't benefit anyone." I say irritadedly, making my over to him.

We'd been married for two years now, and he'd done this several times.

"Katnisss... Where's Cato?" Peeta asks whimsilly, looking around as if he could be anywhere.

Cato. The reoccurring topic that always comes up when he drinks. I have to play along otherwise he acts like I stabbed him in the heart.  
"Cato's not here, but he could be coming to kill us. You know how bad of a person he can be." I say teasingly.

He stops and widens his eyes at me. "He's not a bad person." he says harshly.

I take a sip of a glass of water. "Yeah he is.

Peeta shakes his head reluctantly. "No! He wasn't a bad person." he insists, crossing his arms over his chest.

Now I'm curious. "And what makes you think that?"

"He said he'd protect me! He promised..." Peeta says, perking up.

Protect him? "That's a lie." I tell him firmly.

"No! No he said so! Cato wouldn't lie to me! Now where is he?" he demands.

"Peeta, Cato would lie to you. You know he would." I say in almost a whisper.

"No he wouldn't." Peeta says firmly. He looks around a second as if to check if someone was there. "Let me tell you a secret! Don't tell Katniss but... She wasn't my first kiss..." Peeta giggles immediately after the sentence. "Cato Jensen was."

My heart snaps in half at the words.

"And you know what he told me? He said he loved me, and that he'd always protect me." Peeta continues.

"A-And you said?" I ask quietly, hoping not to receive the answer I may get.

"I told him I loved him too. I told him I trusted him." Peeta confides in whoever he thinks I am.

"And you know what... I still miss him." he speaks as if he knows what's going on now. "I still wish I could see him one last time. Tell him I loved him and I still trusted him no matter how much he hurt me. Sometimes... Sometimes I sit alone drinking, wishing he would have gotten out. Wishing me and him started a family together. But wishing isn't good enough."

I stare at him in disbelief. He loved brutal bloody Cato more than me. More than his girl on fire. And then I start to wonder more and realize that Cato may have loved him too. That maybe all of this would be prevented if maybe, just maybe, Cato and him got out together.

"W-Would you like to see my paintings of him?" he asks, already leading me to the living room. He reaches under the couch and pulls out a giant stack of paintings, the tall handsome blonde the center of all of them. Some he's half naked, some he's crying in the rain. And in a few, there's even a family. A little girl and two blonde boys. Cato and Peeta.

"He told me that if we got out together, we'd start a true family. We'd be together forever." I can see now Peeta's eyes are glazed over with tears, and so are mine.

All of a sudden, without intending it, I vent my rage out at him. "Well guess what Peeta? Your knight in shining armor is in the ground because of us!" I scold and then run upstairs, falling into the bed, sobbing myself to sleep.

I wake up to find Peeta on the floor. He wakes just as I step into visibility, but doesn't notice me as he stuffs the paintings back under the couch.

"Peeta?" I ask quietly, now noticing his tear stricken face.

"Oh! H-Hey Katniss. Didn't see you there." he says softly as if he didn't know what happened last night. Well... He probably didn't.

We sat down to breakfast. Now was when I planned to confront him.

"Hey Peeta." I smiled between a bite of eggs. "Wanna hear something funny?"

Peeta smiled and nodded, though he held his head, obviously a hangover.

"So last night, I come downstairs and I see you totally drunk. Then, like usual, you start asking for Cato. So I say he could hurt you, and then you said he wouldn't. Wanna know why he wouldn't? It's hilarious. You said he loved you. And you loved him back."

Peeta sits staring ahead a minute as I giggle at my story. He looks amazed. Surprised. Nervous.

"H-Ha... I told you that?" he asks nervously. "H-How strange..."

I pause. "Oh my god... Peeta... Please tell me you're fibbing..." I say, standing up from my spot.

"What else did I tell you?" he asks worriedly, staring up at me.

"That he promised to have a family with you. That sometimes you wish it was him who got out with you. You thought I was someone else though, because you said 'don't tell Katniss.'" I ramble, trying to seem calm.

He sits in disbelief. "I promised myself I'd never admit that to anyone... I promised myself..."

I build up anger again. "So that's what you're thinking when you drink? About you and Cato's little love story?"

He stands up. "Well it's not like it would change anything then! Remember? 'We just forget?' huh? You remember that? He treated me like I was worth something Katniss! You used me! He loved me! What was I supposed to think?" he rants. But what sickens me is he's right. Everything he just said is completely true about myself.

"I'm sorry." I mutter after a long while over silence. "For keeping you from your dreams. Maybe I should've just died. Let you and Cato live happily ever after."

Peeta sighs. "Don't be sorry. I just... I felt neglected and he was there to help me... But I still chose you in the games you know. That's why you and me are here together now."

"But you wish it was him instead?" I whisper using my rare shamed tone.

He nods. "Sometimes I do, yeah. A lot. I have dreams about him. About what my life might be like. There was this little girl in them... Rosalie. And we lived in this exact house. And we went on with life, living happy and full. It's ideal." he explains. He realizes it's not helping much though, and makes something up. "B-But if I didn't pick you, the games wouldn't have ended!"

"Cato and you could have stopped them too. A lot easier. Cato's much stronger. You're a better talker." I give him the sob story.  
"I-I'm really sorry Katniss." he whispers. And that was the tipping point of our marriage.

"No you aren't. You'd pick him over me any day. And I don't blame you." I whisper.

"Honestly, you shouldn't." he responds. "And... And truthfully, I love him more than I ever loved you." and that was the point our marriage fell right off a cliff, along with my heart. Shattering when they hit the bottom.


	7. Hallucinations

_**HALLUCINATION – Cato's P.O.V**_

_Crash._

No, it wasn't Glimmer's complaining I woke up to today. It was Tracker Jackers. Everywhere. Frantically I search for Peeta, and find him fighting at least twenty of them off. I dive at him, carrying his limp body in my arms as he stares up at me confused.

"C-Cato?" He whispers, but I ignore him and continue running, having found time to grab my sword. I slash through the brush, trying to ignore the seering pain of the stings on my arms. I hold my will and keep myself upright, reminding myself that I have to do it for Peeta.

I barrel through the brush and end up in the riverbank, no sign of the other's. They must've gone to the cornucopia, given they probably thought their plan through.

I drop to my knees and rest Peeta on the ground, finally losing my power and collapsing next to him. Sweat runs from my face to the ground and I could swear I just saw the sky fash a set of different colors.

_Hallucinations. That's what's happening. _I think to myself as I sit up stiffly, staring over at Peeta. And that's when I panic.

His body is stiff and his chest has ceased it's rise and fall like normal. My eyes widen and I panic, screaming and my limbs locking in place. I cannot move. Everything blurs and turns an ashen color, and my head hits the rock. I can hear everything too well, and it scares me to the verge of trying to quit breathing.

"Peeta is dead. Peeta is dead! I let him die!" I scream at myself, only to be grabbed at the shoulders and shaken.

"Cato! Cato!" A voice yells and then fades off as my eyes must close, leaving me to sink into unconsciousness.

I dream horrible things as I sleep. I go back to my mother, the terrifying nights she beat me and left me on the streets because I "didn't train hard enough." The day I was reaped, and no one came to even see me off.

I awoke maybe an hour or two later, to see Peeta washing his arms off in the river.

I stand, stumbling, but run over to him and grab him as tight as I can. I must look weak and terribly ridiculous right now, but it doesn't matter. Because _he_ is safe.

"Cato, you're awake!" He yells, holding me back tightly. "I thought you wouldn't for a while... I was scared... I mean, because I was alone out here..."

"I thought you died! I could've sworn I saw your heart stop beating!" I yell.

"It's okay, we're both fine and that's all that matters..." he whispers, loosening his grip. I force my arms to untangle themselves from around him, and immediately I miss the perfection I feel holding him.

"T-The others... Clove and Glimmer and Marvel... are they alright?" I ask quietly.

"N-No. Glimmer's dead, I saw that back there... but there were two cannons... either Marvel or Clove." He tells me, looking shamed.

We decide not to go back, and just use the day tending our wounds and stings. I accidentally cut myself with my sword while running, and Peeta's legs are scraped and bruised from running through the brush.

That night we lay out the sleeping bag in my back pack, which we've decided to share considering we're both to petrified to go back to the camp. He huddles in close to me for warmth, and I find it hard to resist putting my arms around him.

The Capitol anthem booms, and Glimmer's pretty face shines above the sky. I'm almost glad she's gone. Then Clove and her hazel eyes glow down on me. I can't help but let out what sounds like a whimper. I was afraid it'd be her.

Then I hear sniffling coming from my side. Peeta. And he's crying...

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask him, and he just looks up at me sadly.

"I-I bet you wish you saved her. More than me." he whimpers, eyes shamefully trailing the features of my face.

"No... don't say that Peeta." I whisper.

"But... didn't you love her? Everyone else... they said you did... I believed them... Why wouldn't I have... You both were so close..." he stutters.

"Of course I didn't love her!" I practically yell, and attempt hushing myself. "T-There was someone else anyway."

"So... why didn't you save her instead of me." he asks, probably implying Glimmer.

"I did save _him_." Is all I reply.

Peeta looks up at me confused and hopeless, as if he doesn't understand why it would be him.

"Peeta, you've seen the way I look at you. You've seen how I always make an effort to put you before any of the other careers." I persuade him, but he still shakes his head.

"I-It was all because... because you loved me?"

I shrug. Love was a strong word, a word I'd never used before except to describe my sword. But... Maybe that was what I felt for the blonde baker from District Twelve. No, scratch that. I'm _sure_ it's what I feel for the blonde baker from District Twelve.

"It was. I love you a lot more than Katniss Everdeen ever will, too." I say calmly, directing my gaze up to the computerized sky, now clear of the Capitol banner.

I swear I could feel the heat of Peeta's blush against me. "Y-You... Why?" He asks.

"I dunno. I just... When I saw your reaping. I knew I could somewhat deal with killing Thresh, Katniss, the others... But you... When I thought about it I just wanted to cry... Which, if you know me, is very unlikely. And then I got to know you, and... I guess some things just sort of snapped into place." I explain.

I'm surprised at how he isn't scared or a little freaked yet. He's just sitting there, grinning at me. I try pretending like I don't care, and that this whole thing is no big deal, but it is. I've never been more worried than this moment right now.

"W-Well... Do you... You know... love me back?" I ask him.

He coarsely nods, as if he isn't sure.

"I-If you aren't, it's not like I'm gonna hurt you or anything Peeta..." I reassure him.

"N-No... I'm just... I'm worried." he whispers.

"Well... I'll protect you. Like I have been." I promise him.

"That's not what I'm afraid of... I'm afraid of my feelings... B-Because... Only one can get ot Cato. And it sure isn't gonna be me." He tells me.

"Don't say that. You can definitely get out." I reassure him, only for him to shake his head.

"But... you can't get out with me..." He whispers and stares up at me, his eyes glazed over with new tears.

What scares me most is that what he said is completely true. "We have to try though. I mean... I need to get out with you... I don't really want to get out and live alone in District Two, watching girls fling themselves at me."

"S-So... We'll try... We're gonna get out." He reassures himself.

And that year, they tried plenty hard enough.


	8. Unexpected Expectations

_**UNEXPECTED EXPECTATIONS – Peeta's P.O.V**_

__I sigh, sitting in the kitchen. Cato told me he was taking me out to dinner tonight. He had something important to tell me. And sadly, I had an idea of what it was.

Cato's been acting... Distant, lately. Awkward would be another word. He always does that when he's about to break something to me. He's been keeping his distance, and I'm really scared he's about to leave me.

Tapping my fingers on the table, I waited for Cato to come down the stairs. He always dressed nice when he was gonna let me down. He knew I couldn't resist him when he was dressed nice.

Gale Hawthorne wears his signature smile across the table, watching me wait impatiently for Cato. "What?" I occasionally ask, then he looks down and his smile drops. I wasn't in the mood for his flirting... Not today.

Cato wasn't good with secrets. I knew from experience. There was one time, when Cato killed my pet bird... He said our cat ate it. We don't even own a cat. God I'm gonna miss those adorable lies...

"Cato! Come on!" I yell up the stairs. What could he possibly be doing up there? He was probably practicing his little speech in the mirror. "I'm sorry, but you're just so boring..."

Ugh... These damn thoughts keep bringing me down. Look on the plus side... I could make him jealous with Gale... Gale seems to like me.

Gale's been acting weird lately too. Whenever I see him he wears this smile... It scares me, almost. Like he knows something I don't.

Well lookie, lookie. Maybe he does know. He's planning to take advantage of me or something. I can see it now. Cato walking out of the restaurant, me chugging any glass of liquor I can find and Gale driving me home... Ugh, what a sick, sick group of friends I have...

Finnick barges in the door, smiling at me the same way Gale is. Okay... This is getting creepy.

"Hey, Peeta. Where's Cato?" He asks, glancing up the stair case.

"He's up there, 'practicing,'" Gale answers, taking a glance over at me in the middle of his statement. What a creep.

"Right. Gotta be ready..." Finnick snickers, kicking his legs up and making a clicking noise in his mouth. Finnick was cute... Maybe I could ask him out after I get over Cato.

Wait, get over him? As if.

Cato's heavy footsteps come down the stairs, and he awkwardly smiles at me. "Uh... hey... Ready..." he smiles, scratching the back of his head. God was he handsome...

I force out a smile and stand, sizing him up and down. Why does he have to do this to me...

"You sure?" Finnick asks. "Cause I mean, this might be kinda hard..."

Cato nods. "Yep..." he sticks a hand in his pocket, as if to check if something was still there.

Gale smirks, patting him on the back. "You better not chicken out..." he whispers, winking over at me.

What on earth is going on...

They all shoot me the same cheesy smile at once, and it kind of scares me. Now they're all being awkward and creepy...

"You uh, wanna get going?"Cato asks, shooting me a hopeful look. Did he really wanna get rid of me that much? What did I even do? I mean... I don't think he could deal with my neediness much more but... I could learn to stop...

I swallow a lump in my throat and nod. "Probably..."

Cato furrows his brow at me. "Something wrong?"

All the anger and fear just sort of welled up, and I couldn't stop myself at the next outburst. "Is something wrong with you?" I ask coldly.

He stares, surprised at my harshness. Finnick and Gale take a quick look at each other before heading for the door. They obviously do not want to be a part of this...

"Well uh... We'll be waiting..." Finnick says awkwardly.

"Be out soon." Gale warns.

Now it's just us... Well crap.

"What's wrong, Peeta?" Cato asks after an awkward silence.

"You're what's wrong..." I sigh, looking down at the ground.

"Is this about the way I've been acting? Because... if it is, you'll find out why later."

I shake my head. I already know... "You sicken me..." I whisper.

He steps back, a little confused. "You know?" he asks.

I nod bluntly, glaring at him.

"W-What, you don't want to?" He asks, biting his lip.

"Of course not!" Why would I?

"I-I just figured... You always said you wanted a family so..."

What, is he afraid he can't give it to me? "I do but... Not this way..."

He tilts his head. "Not this way? Peeta, what other way is there?"

Like he doesn't know. He never did want kids...

"Peeta... Please... I really thought you wanted this..."

"I don't! I don't want it to be this way at all!" I yell. What is going on in that twisted mind of his? Why on earth would I want him to leave me...

"Then we have kids without it or...?"

Now I'm confused. "Kids? Why would we have kids if we weren't together?"

Cato tilts his head again. "Peeta... I'm so confused, help me out here..."

I sigh. This lovely moron. "Cato, I don't want you to leave me. I love you, and I wanna be with you forever... Why on earth would I want you to leave me?"

Cato looks at the floor a moment, trying to comprehend what was happening. "You thought I was gonna leave you?" He questions, taking a quick glance up at me.

"I know that's what you're planning...Please Cato... I'll be more interesting! We uh... What do you want, sex? I'll work on that..."

Cato chuckles, cupping my face in his hands. "Sex, Peeta? Really?" He chuckles.

Here comes the major let-down...

"Well what do you want? Anything, I'll give it to you as long as you stay."

He smiles, kissing me on the nose. "How about you quit making assumptions."

I tilt my head in his hands. "Assumptions? T-That wasn't your plan?" I ask quietly.

He shakes his head and sighs. "No, angel... It wasn't..."

I stare up at him, puzzled. Why was he acting so odd then? Why was everyone acting so odd? "T-Then what's happening?"

"You'll find out later... Don't make me do this now. I didn't plan this whole night out for nothing..."

"C-Cato, if you want to you can... You really don't have to stay with me just because I'm a needy, whiny person... I promise I won't bother you i-" I can't finish because I'm silenced by his hand, and the other reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box.

He flicks it open, revealing a small gold ring. A smile turns his lips up as he sees my eyes flare up in happiness.

"Just marry me, you idiot."


End file.
